Jasper felt like the biggest idiot at the Cowrie Cabana. He'd been there for weeks now, yet he still managed to find new ways to upset someone every time he opened his mouth. With the travel tunnels completely hiding Brooke's scent from him, he had no way of tracking her so he could apologize for upsetting her. Again.

But this time, he at least had an idea where she might have gone.

With lunch over and dinner still hours away, the Silver Scallop lacked the crowds he'd seen when he'd eaten there with Gwen. The scent of seafood still lingered in the air like the faintest whisper of the ocean breeze, gradually growing stronger as he approached the doors to the kitchen.

Unlike the utterly silent dining area, the back of the restaurant bustled with life. Knives clacked against cutting boards as chefs declawed crabs, and a pot of venison stew bubbled on the stovetop. The delicately fruity aroma of red wine combined with the rich, gamey scent of elk to make his stomach growl.

"Good afternoon, Alpha." Brooke's younger sister, Marina, scraped the scales off a fish with a practiced knifestroke before slicing it open and removing its guts, tossing them into a waiting pail. "How can I help you?"

"I was hoping Brooke might be here." Jasper cast his gaze about the kitchen, but there was no trace of her or her brilliantly red hair anywhere. "Sorry for interrupting. Do you need any help preparing for the banquet?"

"Thank you for the offer, Alpha, but it would be best for you to rest." Marina offered him a strained smile. "Can't have you exhaust yourself before tonight."

"I feel like I'm going to do just that if I don't keep myself busy. Besides, it's the least I can do for all you've done for my pack these last few weeks." Especially since he'd caused the resort's staff far too much trouble.

He could tell from her expression she wanted to tell him to get lost and let her work, but like most people, she'd never say that to an Alpha. Not that he would have minded, but with Brooke nowhere to be found, her family was his best chance to get an idea of where she'd gone.

"I guess I wouldn't mind a hand with the prep work," Marina admitted begrudgingly. She nodded toward the other two chefs, their foreheads slick with sweat as they worked. "We're been short-staffed for months now, and since Dad's busy discussing some last-minute adjustments with your parents, we're falling a bit behind."

She set him to work chopping vegetables, no doubt one of the easiest tasks in the kitchen and one where he could do the least damage. There was something relaxing about losing himself in physical work, contributing to something without having to be in charge all the time. 

Still, even as he lost himself in the monotony, the shadow of all the stress he'd caused hung over him like a storm cloud. "I'm sorry this whole mess with Kudzu Pack has made so much extra work for you," he said.

"No need to apologize. They're not the first guests who've made us busier than normal, and they won't be the last." Marina's knife thudded against the cutting board as she severed the fish's head. "They're a lot easier to deal with than a certain someone who causes more chaos than a seagull at a picnic."

As if on cue, Brooke trotted into the kitchen with an apron loosely tied around her waist, bumping into one of the chefs and nearly making him drop a bottle of wine on her way to the oven. "I know you guys are going to have a busy night, so I thought I could—" 

She froze the instant she saw Jasper. Her mouth snapped shut, her eyes darting away from his face, no doubt looking for another excuse to get away from him.

"Please don't run away again." He swallowed, his eyes watering from more than the onions. "I can't deal with this by myself."

Marina groaned. "Goddess, what did she do now? I told her not to make a mess for the guests, but does she ever listen?" She chucked the fish's head into the pail full of guts, leaving it to gape at the drama unfolding. "Of course not."

"It's not my fault the other werewolves found out," Brooke said. Jasper grimaced as she marched to the dessert station and snapped a bar of baking chocolate so forcefully dark brown shavings flew across the countertop. "Apparently a certain someone spilled the chum bucket."

"It was hard not to when Waylon recognized your scent. Besides, they were going to find out eventually." Although it would have gone more smoothly if he'd been able to tell the Alphas on his own terms.

"Alright you two, back up a second." Marina whistled, grabbing the other chefs' attention. "We're going to need privacy, so go see if you can catch some fresh sea bass."

"Yes, chef!" Marina's coworkers hung up their aprons and unfurled their sealskins, but not without glancing over their shoulders on their way out the door.

Great. As if all the werewolves knowing about this mess wasn't bad enough, now all the selkies would be gossiping about it, too.

Marina wheeled on Jasper and Brooke with a look on her face that could have made even the fiercest Alpha tuck his tail between his legs. "You've interrupted our preparations for one of the most important events in years to argue like pups. One of you had better tell me what is going on between you two, or Goddess help me, I will drag both of you straight to Mom."

Jasper grimaced. He'd been through more than enough humiliation for one trip. "Brooke and I have been seeing each other for a couple weeks so I can try to figure out if she's my soulmate."

"And you didn't figure it out the second you saw her because...?" Marina held up a hand to keep him from responding. "I don't wanna know. None of my business why the Goddess didn't make it as obvious as a narwhal's tusk." She jabbed her finger toward Brooke. "Why were you avoiding him?"

"I wasn't—"

Marina slapped the counter. "Yes, you were. You always do this! Every time you get in trouble, you run off like a pup."

"He said we'd both end up miserable if we really are soulmates. I can't—" Brooke's voice cracked. "I can't be with someone who thinks they'd be so unhappy with me."

Jasper's throat tightened. Goddess, had he really worded things so horribly? "Thanks to you, these last few weeks have been some of the happiest of my life." 

She looked at him as if he'd just splashed saltwater in her face. "Then why did you say all that?"

"Because I can't let the fact you make me happy let me drag you down like an anchor." If he did that, he'd never forgive himself.

"So do you want to be with me or not? If you don't..." Something crumbled in Brooke's expression like a sandcastle giving way to the tide. "Please just say it."

Jasper crossed the kitchen in a series of quick strides, brushing her hair away from her face with the back of his hand. "I don't know how we'll find a way for us both to be happy by the end of this, but I love you too much not to try."    

Brooke leaned into his touch. He could spend hours drinking in every inch of her. The dimples pressed into her reddening cheeks. Her beautiful curves that gave him that much more of her to love. Her smile that outshone even the full moon's radiance.

"Wait, this whole banquet to 'improve inter-pack relations' is because of you two, isn't it?" Marina asked.

"Mr. Evergreen wasn't exactly happy about me thinking Brooke is my soulmate," Jasper said sheepishly. He left out the fact her being a selkie caused such an uproar. Just thinking about it made his teeth itch to sharpen into fangs.

Marina groaned and massaged her forehead. "I should have known. You two really are perfect for each other." 

Jasper held Brooke close. "I don't know if we'll be able to sort everything out before we see the Luna tomorrow," he said, "but I promise no matter what happens, we'll get through this together. Just please promise me you won't run away from me again."

"I promise." Brooke quirked her lips into a teasing grin. "Unless we play tag. Soulmate or not, I'm not letting you win that easily!"

"Is that so?" Jasper twirled her hair between his fingers, leaning so close he could almost taste her. "Good thing I've already caught—"    

The door to the kitchen swung open, hitting the wall with a resounding smack. "Pardon the intrusion," Mr. Evergreen said as he strode inside. "With everything that's happened these past few weeks, I thought it would be prudent for me to see how preparations for the banquet are coming along."

"They're going fine," Jasper said icily. At least, they had been before the other Alpha had barged into the kitchen.

"I'd be more than happy to discuss them with you if you'd like, Alpha." Gone was any trace of anger and frustration from Marina's voice, leaving only carefully neutral politeness.

"You can help by staying out of my way." Mr. Evergreen leered down at Marina with his lips twisted into a sneer. "Your kind have already caused more than enough trouble."

A growl rumbled in the back of Jasper's throat. "That's no way to speak to anyone, especially when you're a guest. Show some respect."

"I am only reminding them of their place." Mr. Evergreen bared his fangs. "Must I remind you of yours as well? It will be years before you lead your pack, yet you have already brought great shame upon them. It would be unfortunate for you to make things worse for them before you visit the Luna tomorrow."

Jasper bristled at his insults but forced himself not to rise to the older Alpha's bait. As much as it pained him to admit it, Mr. Evergreen held a great deal of power over him.

Brooke wrapped his hand in hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. He caressed her skin with his thumb, silently thanking her for her support.

"If you only came here to speak to one of the other guests, I'm going to have to ask you to leave." Marina pointedly glanced at the clock overlooking the kitchen. "The rest of my team needs to finish the prep work for tonight's banquet."

"Ah, but how can they do that when an Alpha hasn't made sure you're following our packs' directions?" Mr. Evergreen rested a hand on Marina's back, his fingers brushing against her sealskin. "Why don't you show me what you and your team have made so far?"

"Right this way, Alpha." Marina shrugged off his touch and led him toward the pot of stew bubbling on one of the stoves.

As Marina explained the different dishes that would be served at the banquet, Jasper realized that while he couldn't risk standing up to Mr. Evergreen more directly, there was one way he could make it absolutely clear he wouldn't tolerate his bigotry. "Why don't you show me how to make that dessert you made for Gwen and me?" he said to Brooke, making sure he spoke loudly enough for the other Alpha to hear. "I'd love to spend more time with you."

"Don't you have other stuff to do for the banquet? I mean, maybe you're used to this sort of thing, but I'd be a mess!" Brooke giggled nervously. "I don't know the first thing about attending anything that fancy."

Jasper waved off her concern. "I've dealt with that sort of thing plenty of times before. What I don't know is how you made something so delicious." He gave her the tiniest nudge and nodded toward Mr. Evergreen. "All the selkies at the restaurant really outdid themselves spoiling us rotten."

Brooke's mouth formed a small o of surprise before curling into a playful smirk. "They all work very hard, and all I did was follow the recipe my grandma taught me. Wanna hear the secret?"

"Of course!"

She motioned for him to bend down before standing on her tiptoes and pressing her lips against his jaw. "Grandma always told me dessert tastes ten times as delicious when it's made by someone who loves you."

A faint growl rumbled from the other side of the kitchen. The only thing stronger than Mr. Evergreen's overpowering perfume was the anger burning in his eyes, but that was far from the only reason Jasper took great pleasure in his time with Brooke. As she ushered him over to the dessert station, her smile filled the room like the brightest of moonbeams.

The two of them mixed together a thick brown batter, with Brooke's flour-dusted hands sneaking fleeting touches as she leaned against him. Despite sneaking periodic taste tests, Brooke murmured directions to him with perfect calmness and clarity. While Jasper was used to giving orders, he quickly found himself obeying Brooke's directions without a moment's hesitation.

He could get used to this. What could be better than baking beside someone he loved without a care in the world save keeping himself from devouring the batter before it make it to the oven?

Of course, there was one thing that could make it even better.

"You have something on your face," Jasper said over the whir of the mixer.

Brooke groaned. "I swear this thing always gives me more spots than my sealskin. Just a sec."

"No worries, I'll take care of it." Jasper leaned forward and pressed his lips to her cheek.

Brooke gasped softly before curling her lips into a smile. "I think you've got something on you, too." 

It wasn't long before they were both far more focused on each other than the dessert. All thoughts of Mr. Evergreen faded to the back of Jasper's mind as he savored every taste of her skin, every caress of her lips against his jaw.

Alas, their time together could only last so long. All too soon, they had to separate from each other as Marina finished giving Mr. Evergreen his tour of the kitchen.

"It's good to see you two are enjoying yourselves before you visit the Luna tomorrow," Mr. Evergreen said acidly.

"Now that we've finished going over the dishes that will be served at tonight's banquet, is there anything else I can do for you, Alpha?" Though Marina was still smiling, Jasper could tell from the twitch in her jaw that she was dying to throw Mr. Evergreen out of the kitchen by the seat of his pants.

"That will be all, but I did want to ask your sister something." Jasper swallowed a snarl as Mr. Evergreen put his hand on Brooke's shoulder. "Would you do me the honor of attending tonight's banquet? You and several of the other staff have worked so hard that my Beta and I agreed the least we could do is invite you to join us."

Jasper shook his head slightly, praying to the Goddess Brooke would turn him down. Any invitation coming from Mr. Evergreen sounded unpleasant enough, but for Waylon to be involved, they must be planning something.

"I'd be honored." Brooke bowed deeply, which quickly turned into a massive sneeze that nearly made her headbutt Mr. Evergreen's stomach. "Sorry," she said with a sniff. "My nose goes crazy every time I smell your perfume."

Mr. Evergreen barked out a laugh. "It is quite strong, isn't it? I like my scents how I like my wolves." He dipped his head to Jasper with his teeth bared in a smile. "See you tonight."

As soon as he left the kitchen, Marina let out a massive sigh. "I thought he'd never leave."

"Well, he'll definitely never leave my nose." The sounds that came out of Brooke's sinuses made Jasper very glad he hadn't waited to kiss her. "I'm definitely going to need to take medicine before the banquet."

"You don't have to come," Jasper said gently. "It'll mostly be a bunch of old wolves posturing at each other and anyone without a mate flirting their fur off." At least, that's how most inter-pack social events went.

"I didn't want to risk making him mad at you again," Brooke said softly. Her expression brightened as she gave Jasper a playful nudge. "Besides, how am I supposed to say no to free food?"

"Can't argue with that," Jasper said with a chuckle. Unease snaked in his gut, or perhaps that was only the lingering effect of Mr. Evergreen's perfume.

"It's great to see you guys getting along, but I really need to get everyone back to work." Marina returned to the seafood station, cleaving the head off a particularly fat fish. "We still have a lot to do before tonight."

It was hard to argue with someone holding a blade that could easily chop his tail off, but... "Would it be alright for us to finish baking the lava cake?" Jasper asked.

Marina glanced between him and Brooke with her lips pressed into a fine line. "And let you fill up on dessert before we even serve the appetizers?"

"I just want to spend as much time with Brooke as I can before we visit the Luna tomorrow." Jasper smirked. "I promise I'll keep her from eating the whole thing."

Brooke gave him a playful shove. "You're the one who beat the Super Sundae Challenge!"

Marina shook her head. "Goddess, you two are hopeless. Fine, you can finish it, but Goddess help me if either of you gets in anyone's way, I will carry you out of here like a sack of shrimp. Understand?"

"Yes, chef!"

As he and Brooke set to work pouring the batter into ramekins, Jasper knew Marina needn't worry about them bothering anyone else. Even as the other chefs returned to the kitchen and filled it with all manner of culinary chaos, they only had eyes for each other.